Wish Upon a Thousand Swans
by musingofmychoosing
Summary: Takes place after the Season 2 finale. Short story. With Belle in Storybrooke hoping for the safe return of Rumple and those who left. She reads about a Japanese origami legend and a wish.


Wish Upon a Thousand Swans

Belle had lost count of the days she arrived home late at night. It had been stressful for everyone in Storybrooke ever since Rumplestiltskin, Regina, and the Charmings left to save Henry in another far off land. And she missed Rumplestiltskin deeply.

Rumplestiltskin had entrusted her with a protection spell for Storybrooke. The reality was that she had been entrusted with so much more. With the Charmings gone, Storybrooke needed leadership and someone to help the residents continue a normal life in these stressful times. And Belle had taken up that challenge. It didn't feel like there were enough hours in the day to accomplish so many tasks, but fortunately she had found friends in Storybrooke that helped her watch over and care for the town.

As she finished washing up in the bathroom, she looked at her reflection. Dark chestnut hair and blue eyes. But now her eyes had a tiredness about them and her face had grown more pale.

Tonight, however, she had some excitement in her heart as she settled in bed with a book and some colorful papers in hand. Belle loved books so much and it pained her that she could not continue Storybrooke's library restoration at a faster pace now that her life was more hectic. But she made sure it would not come to a complete standstill. And, living in this world, she decided that she would learn more about its cultures, customs, and lands through books.

It was earlier that day in the library that she had come across a book about Japan and origami. In origami one could take a simple paper and fold it in certain ways to make amazing figures. It fascinated her that something so simple could make so many beautiful little objects.

But, what had caught her attention even more was the legend about the figure of the crane. The crane was considered a mystical creature in Japanese culture. This ancient legend promised that anyone who folded a thousand origami cranes would be granted a wish. Belle had stopped and lingered at that thought. It was a beautiful idea.

And who knew? Maybe there was indeed truth and promise to this legend. The lives and stories from the people in her world had somehow seeped into the stories of this realm. Fairy tales is what they were considered. Even her own story had joined the tales of this world, although they were a bit distorted. She smirked knowing that the people in this world might be surprised to discover that she, the Beauty, and Rumplestiltskin were True Loves.

So Belle thought that perhaps there might be truth in this legend, perhaps it was a legend from another world that was carried over through whispers among lands into this world. So she decided that she would fold a thousand of these paper cranes and make her wish.

It took only a little practice and a few attempts, but Belle was surprised at how easy it was to follow the book's instructions and finally fold a paper crane.

She held it up and marveled at her little paper bird. She was filled with happiness knowing that even if she was not an artist, her hands could still create such pretty pieces of art.

Looking at the crane, she imagined that it also looked like a swan. It had her thinking about Emma Swan. The daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming who had been lost for many years. Rumplestiltskin had told her that Emma was a child of True Love and that she carried magic within her. That she had been there to save them. So, Belle thought that in a way, she was also making a wish through Emma. Maybe Emma's magic would also help make her wish come true. A wish upon a thousand cranes or maybe in this case, a thousand swans. Belled smiled at that notion.

Belle's wish, of course, was for the safe return of Rumplestiltskin, Henry, and all of those who had left to that mysterious land. She made a few throughout the day when she had a chance, usually when she was eating. She often made many sitting on her bed before going to sleep.

Always repeating the same wish with each colorful figure. But, she would also think about other wishes she carried in her heart. How she wished that they could find peace amongst each other and how they could all find their happy endings. And maybe those would come true as well.

She found that making the figures calmed her and centered her throughout her busy days. The feel and soft sound of the paper was soothing. It was rhythmic and hypnotic and meditative.

Maybe it was not as visible as Rumplestiltskin's magic, but Belle thought that this was still a kind of magic of its own. It was her wishes, her prayers, her hopes all pouring out from her heart into a tangible creation. And, she believed that in a way it transcended magic.

Belle lost count of the days since she starting making her figures, but finally she had managed to make and string together almost a thousand of her little paper birds. She had purchased a shiny gold piece of paper for the last one. She could not explain why she felt both sad and joyful when she finally finished the last one. She wiped her tear away and strung this last gold bird with the others and made her wish. What she had created was colorful and beautiful. And now all she had to do was have faith and wait.

And hopefully not wait for long.


End file.
